Apprehension in Bayelsa PDP as Diri appears before CCB on Monday

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State is in a fix on how to handle a petition against its governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri, over his failure to declare his assets before the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) while he served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Principal Executive Secretary in Government House between 2013 and 2014

Tribune Online investigations revealed that Senator Diri is expected to appear before the CCB on Monday 14th of October, 2019, in response to the said petition filed against him by an anti-corruption group known as the Bayelsa Coalition for Good Governance and Accountability.

Tribune Online further learnt that the PDP flag bearer has since been duly served the CCB summon through the clerk of the National Assembly, but that he has allegedly refused to acknowledge receipt of the summon.

According to a source in the PDP, “Senator Douye Diri was evading service. When the summon was sent to his governorship campaign office, nobody was willing to accept it. That was when the summon was sent to him through the Clerk of the Natiional Assembly and served.”

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Confirming the development in a chat with newsmen, the Executive Director of the Bayelsa Coalition for Good Governance and Accountability, Mr Joseph Ambakederimo, who filed the petition said they filed the petition and that they have appeared before CCB to defend their claims in the petition.

Ambakaderimo, who denied being used by any politician or political group in the state, said the petition was based on the need to instil the spirit of accountability and good governance in the state.

“We are out to ensure that the right things are done. To ensure that we instil rule of law and good governance in Bayelsa State. Nobody is sponsoring our group and every successive administration knows my pedigree.”

He also said that those criticized the group for filing the petition close to the governorship poll are insensitive and ignorant of modern democratic ideals.

He further explained that “there is no proper time to raise such issue on rule of law and corruption. It is only proper and timely that we brought it to the public domain.

“At the end, it will be clear to those in government that they would be accountable and that they will face scrutiny at the end. As the law stipulates, If a man does not declare his asset, he is not fit to be a Governor. To be a Governor, you would have gone through thorough investigation.”

He also alleged that since the group filed the petition against Senator Douye Diri at the Code of Conduct Bureau, they have received a series of death threats through their mobile phones.

“Many of our members are being threatened daily. We are putting up a petition to the Inspector-General of Police over the threats to our lives.”